Electrical printing apparatus



g- 16, 1955 G. T. BROWN, JR 2,715,360

ELECTRICAL PRINTING APPARATUS Filed March 3, 1950 4 Sheets-Sheet l FIG.I

INVENTOR GEORGE T. BROWN JR.

HIS ATTORNEYS Aug. 16, 1955 G. T. BROWN, JR

ELECTRICAL PRINTING APPARATUS Filed March 3, 1950 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 I L :2 I f, l n @j z 49 0 Q a 3 INVENTOR 65 66 l GEORGE T. BROWN JR.

EQE ll J g M 64 BY ML I w w M? 1% 3 HIS ATTORNEYS 6, 1955 G. T. BROWN, JR 2,715,360

ELECTRICAL PRINTING APPARATUS Filed March 5, 1950 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR GEORGE T. BROWN JR.

HIS ATTORNEYS 6, 1955 G T. BROWN, JR 2,715,360

ELECTRICAL PRINTING APPARATUS Filed March 3, 1950 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 I 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 =w-?wfifi,fi%q6 F|G.6

r 6| rm {"1 a a :-n k n INVENTOR GEORGE T. BROWN JR.

HIS ATTORNEYS United States Patent 0 ELECTRICAL PRINTING APPARATUS George T. Brown, Jr., Dayton, Ohio, assignor to The National Cash Register Company, Dayton, Ohio, a corporation of Maryland Application March 3, 1950, Serial No. 147,554

20 Claims. (Cl. 101-82) This invention relates to a quiet, high-speed apparatus for printing data electrically on record material.

In general, the novel apparatus consists of a movable matrix-bearing member carrying a plurality of multielectrode matrices on its outer surface, data-printing con trol means for selecting the electrodes of the matrices which are to take part in the printing operation, electrode means cooperating with the matrices to determine a printing point and to enable current to pass through the record material according to the selected electrodes of the matrices to print data corresponding to the selected elecr trodes, record-feeding means to feed record material between the matrices and the electrode means, and means to operate the feeding means and the matrix-bearing member together.

Each matrix used in the novel printing apparatus consists of a plurality of electrodes or elements which can be selected in combination to form the data to be printed, the electrodes being so arranged that the entire printing operation is completed as the record material and the matrix pass an electrode means at a printing point.

The matrix-bearing member is in the form of a cylinder which is rotated during a printing operation to move the various matrices thereon past the electrode means or contact means. The record material, which extends between the matrix-bearing cylinder and the contact means, is fed by the feeding means during the printing operation, so that the matrix in printing position and the record material move together at substantially the same speed past the contact means. During this movement, current passes from the contact means through the record material to those matrix elements at the opposite side of the record material which have been energized according to the data to be printed, the current thus passing through the record material causing marks of a distinct color and of the configuration of the selected matrix elements to appear on the record material.

The novel matrix-bearing cylinder has thereon a row of matrices for each column of data to be printed on the record material and has a plurality of similar matrices in each row. Commutating means selects similar elements in all matrices of row, so that, in any rotational position of the cylinder, that matrix which is in printing position will be capable of completing the printing circuit.

The novel printing aparatus does not require that the record material be arrested while printing takes place but causes printing to be effected while the record material is moving from one printing position to another and accordingly enables the printing of data much more rapidly and simply than heretofore. For all practical purposes, it may be said that printing can take place as fast as the selection of matrix elements, according to data to be printed, can be effected.

Further, the novel printing apparatus eliminates impression means or printing hammers that have heretofore been used and consequently eliminates the noise attendant upon 70 iii) i ice It is an object of the invention, therefore, to provide an apparatus for high-speed printing of desired data electrically on record material.

A further object of the invention is to provide a printing apparatus which requires no printing impression means and can print while the record material is fed through the printing apparatus and accordingly is quiet and capable of high-speed operation.

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel seven-element matrix, the elements of which are so arranged that, when selected according to desired patterns, they can cause the numerals "0 and 1 through 9 to be printed.

A further object of the invention is to provide a printing apparatus having a matrix-bearing member which moves multi-electrode matrices past a printing point in succession at substantially the same speed that record material is fed past the printing point, said matrices engaging the record material and movable therewith as it is fed past the printing point.

A further object of the invention is to provide a matrixbearing cylinder having a row of similar matrices about its outside surface, the cylinder being rotatable to bring the matrices to printing position in succession, so that each of the other matrices of a row is used before a repeat use of any particular matrix takes place, thereby enabling heat generated in a printing operation to be dissipated from a matrix before the matrix is used again.

A further object of the invention is to provide a matrixbearing cylinder having a row of similar matrices about its outside surface, the cylinder being rotatable to bring the matrices to printing position in succession, so that each of the other matrices of a row is used before a repeat use of any particular matrix takes place, and to provide a cleaning means for cleaning each matrix between successive uses thereof.

A further object of the invention is to provide a rotatable matrix-bearing cylinder which has a row of similar multi-element matrices about its outside surface and has a commutator arrangement operable in any position of the cylinder to selectively energize the same elements in all the matrices, so that, regardless of the position of the cylinder, the matrix in printing position can be effective to take part in a printing operation.

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel construction for a matrix-bearing cylinder in which the cylinder is made up of insulated annular commutator members corresponding in number to the matrix elements which may pass the printing point in a single printing operation and in which each member has formed thereon or secured thereto a corresponding element in each of the matrices about the cylinder, so that the corresponding elements in the various matrices can be selected for operation by connections made to the members.

A further object of the invention is to provide a flexible contact means for cooperating with matrix elements on a matrix-bearing member to enable the contact means to accommodate itself to variations in the height of matrix elements as the matrices are presented thereto.

With these and incidental objects in view, the invention includes certain novel features of construction and combinations of parts, a preferred form or embodiment of which is hereinafter described with reference to the drawings which accompany and form a part of this specification.

Of the drawings:

Fig. l is a side elevational view, partly in section, showing the novel printing apparatus.

Fig. 2 is a schematic view of the matrices at the top of the matrix-bearing cylinder, looking from the right in Fig. 1, showing also the shape of the contact-making edge of the contact means which cooperates with the matrices and its relation thereto and showing further the commutator and brush arrangement for making electrical connections to the electrodes of the matrices.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view of the matrix-bearing cylinder and its supporting and driving means, taken along the line 33 in Fig. 4, showing certain of the brush-supporting brackets and the arrangement of the brushes thereon.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view through the matrix-bearing cylinder and the brush-supporting brackets, taken along the line 44 in Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 shows a driving means for the various moving parts of the printing apparatus.

Fig. 6 is a schematic circuit diagram of one of the matrix-electrode-selecting circuits and the operating circuits for the printing apparatus.

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of one of the matrices on the cylinder of Figs. 1 and 3.

Fig. 8 is an example of the printing produced on a record strip by the printing apparatus of Figs. 1, 3, and 7.

Fig. 9 is a perspective view of one of the matrices oriented to print in letter-space relation on a tape.

Fig. 10 is an example of a tape printed from the matrices oriented as in Fig. 9.

In the preferred embodiment which will be used to explain the invention, the printing device will be capable of printing any of the numerals 0 and l to 9 selectively in columns on record material, as the record material is line-spaced past a printing point, and will have a capacity of printing in six columns, as shown in Fig. 8.

As shown in Fig. 1, the record material, in the form of a strip 20, is fed from a suitable supply, over guide rollers 21 and 21a, which are made of insulating material and are mounted on a printer-supporting plate 22, then between a matrix-bearing cylinder 23, rotatably supported on the plate 22, and a cooperating flexible contact means or electrode 24, which determines the printing point, and then between guiding and feeding rollers 25 and 26, which also are made of insulating material and are rotatably mounted on the plate 22, the roller 25 being driven to pull the strip past the printing point.

A shield or guard plate 27 is secured to the plate 22 and extends about the matrix-bearing cylinder 23 to protect the matrices from damage and to prevent anyone using the apparatus from coming into contact with electrically-energized matrices on the cylinder.

The record material to be used with this embodiment of the invention may be of any of the well-known types which are electro-sensitive and will produce a distinctive mark directly when electric current passes therethrough or upon subsequent development of a mark conditioned by the electric current, the preferred record material being that dry type which produces a black mark on a grayish-white background immediately upon printing and is sold commercially by Western Union Telegraph Company, of New York, N. Y., under the trade name Teledeltos recording paper, one such paper being disclosed in the United States Patent No. 2,251,742.

The matrix-bearing cylinder 23 is given a step of rotation as the strip is line-spaced by the feeding rollers 25 and 26, the speed of the cylinder 23 preferably being such that the strip 20 and the matrix which is in printing position move together at the same speed past the contact means 24. Slight variations between the speed of the strip 20 and the cylinder 23 are permissible so long as they merely tend to close the gaps between the various lines which are used in combination to form the numerals and do not distort the numerals to such a degree as to make them lose their identity.

As the record material passes the printing point, current passes through the record material from the contact means to the matrix elements on the matrix-bearing cylinder which have been selected according to the numbers to be printed and will cause marks corresponding to the numerals to be made on the record material.

The arrangement of the matrices used in the printing operation and the construction of the matrix-bearing cylinder 23 are shown in Figs. 1 to 4, and 6 t0 8. As will be clear from the diagrammatic showing in Fig. 6 and from Fig. 7, which is a perspective view of one of the matrices on the cylinder 23, each matrix is made up of seven elements or electrodes; namely, a base element 33, a top element 32, and an intermediate element 31, which elements extend horizontally and are parallel to each other; a pair of lower side elements 33 and 34; and a pair of upper side elements 35 and 36, the base element 30, the top element 32, and the side elements 33, 34, 3S, and 36 in the preferred embodiment forming, in essence, a rhomboid whose overall width is slightly less than the width of a column on the record material and whose overall height is less than the line-space movement of the record material, as is particularly shown by the width and height of the characters on the record strip 20 in Fig. 8. Any of the numerals 0 and "1 to "9 inclusive can be made up of combinations of the elements, as will be clear from the wiring diagram and schematic showing of a matrix in Fig. 6, together with the sample of the record material of Fig. 8. The following tabulation shows the elements required to form the several numerals.

0 is formed by elements 32, 36, 35, 30, 33, and 35.

l is formed by elements 35 and 33, or 36 and 34.

2 is formed by elements 32, 36, 31, 33, and 30.

3 is formed by elements 32, 36, 31, 34, and 30.

4 is formed by elements 35, 31, 36, and 34.

5 is formed by elements 32, 35, 31, 34, and 30.

6 is formed by elements 32, 35, 33, 3t 34, and 31. 7 is formed by elements 32, 36, and 34.

8 is formed by elements through 36.

9 is formed by elements 31, 35, 32, 36, 34, and 30.

The matrix having its sides oblique to the base, which has been described as the preferred embodiment, is preferred because the numerals printed therefrom are believed to be more legible; but, where it is desired to reduce the overall width of the numerals and enable narrower columns to be used on the record material, the matrix can be formed with its side elements perpendicular to its base, top, and intermediate elements, the same combinations of elements being used to form the several numerals with either type of matrix.

As shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3, the matrix-bearing cylinder 23 has on its outer surface a row of matrices for each column to be printed on the record material, each row containing a plurality of matrices spaced apart about the periphery of the cylinder according to the required line-spacing of the numbers on the strip.

The contact means 24 is so shaped that at its contactmaking edge it will lie at an angle across the matrix elements of each row in the manner shown in Fig. 6. so as to provide a line of single-point contacts with the various elements of each of the matrices as they pass. In order that the contact means for the several rows can lie in the space between the bottom of one matrix and the top of the following matrix, the portion of the contact means for each row will lie diagonally thereacross, as shown diagrammatically in Fig. 2, with the leading points (to the left in Fig. l) of the means for the several portions alined across the material and the trailing points of the means for the several portions being alined and to the right of the leading points as viewed in Fig. l.

The matrix-bearing cylinder 23 is mounted for rotation on the printer-supporting plate 22 (Fig. 3) by being provided with a circular end plate 41, which has formed thereon a shoulder 42 and an extended hollow cylindrical portion 43, which portion 43 passes through a bearing aperture in the printer-supporting plate 22. The portion 43 forms a hollow supporting shaft for the cylinder 23 and enables the cylinder to be rotated to move the matrices past the printing point as the record material is line-spaced. A gear 44 is secured to the end of the portion 43 and connects the cylinder to an operating means for rotation thereby in a manner to be explained more fully hereinafter. The plate 41 and its portion 43 are held in place on the supporting plate 22 by a non-rotatable sleevelike retaining member 45, which extends through the portion 43 f the plate 41, has a flange 46 at one end engaging the plate 41, and is threaded at the other end to receive a nut 47, which can be tightened against a bridge-like member 48 secured to the supporting plate 22 to draw the retaining member to the left, as viewed in Fig. 3, to maintain the shoulder 42 in engagement with the supporting plate 22 and maintain the portion 43 in the bearing aperture.

As shown in Figs. 3, 4 and 7, the matrix-bearing cylinder 23 is made up of a plurality of groups of annular members of conducting material, which members operate as commutator rings, as will be more fully explained hereinafter, and which members are insulated from each other. The insulation between groups of members may be thicker than between members of a group, as shown in Fig. 3, to provide for suitable spacing between columns. The groups of annular members are secured together and to the end plate 41 by a series of bolts, as 49, which extend therethrough. In the embodiment being described to explain the invention, six groups of annular members are provided, which enable six columns to be printed on the record material. In each group of annular members, there is one member for each of the elements of the matrix, and each member is formed with, or has secured thereto, a corresponding one of the electrodes or elements in each of the matrices of a row which extends about the cylinder. For example, in the set of annular members shown to the right in Fig. 3, which are related to the matrices for printing the numbers in the right-hand column in Fig. 8, the first annular member from the right, 52 (see also Fig. 7) is connected to the upper side element 36 of each of the matrices of the row; the second annular member 53 is connected to the top element 32 of each of these matrices; the third annular member 54 is connected to the lower side element 34 of each of these matrices; the fourth annular member 55 is connected to the intermediate element 31 of each of these matrices; the fifth annular member 56 is connected to the upper side element 35 of each of these matrices; the sixth annular member 57 is connected to the base element 30 of each of these matrices; and the seventh annular member 58 is connected to the lower side element 33 of each of these matrices. In a similar manner, the annular members of the other groups will be connected to the various elements of their rows of matrices. The outside insulating ring 59 is representative of the thicker rings which separate the groups of annular members. It is to be noted that the sequence of the members 52 through 58 is shown as from left to right in Fig. 2, because this figure is a diagrammatic view of the top line of matrices on the cylinder 23, as viewed from the right of Fig. l.

The provision of a plurality of matrices in each row about the cylinder has the advantage that each matrix is used but once in any rotation of the cylinder, so that any heat which is generated in the elements of a matrix by a printing operation or received by conduction or radiation from the record material can be dissipated while the remaining matrices are taking part in other printing operations, and overheating of the elements of any particular matrix is avoided even when printing operations follow each other at very great speed.

Since the corresponding elements of all matrices in a row about the cylinder are connected to the same annular member, the member can operate as a commutator ring, so that a circuit completed to the annular member in any position of the cylinder will make any of the elements connected to that member eifective and will enable that one of the matrices around the cylinder which may be in printing position to take part in the printing of a number on the strip as the strip and the cylinder are moved past the contact means 24. Accordingly, by selectively connecting the desired ones of the annular members of the various groups in a printing circuit according to the numerals to be printed, the corresponding elements of the matrix in printing position, regardless of the position of the cylinder, will be efiective to complete the circuit through the record material and the contact means 24 and cause these numerals to be printed on the strip.

Electrical connections to the annular members or commutator rings of the cylinder are made through brushes 61, which are mounted within the matrix-bearing cylinder 23 and engage the inner surface of the annular members. As shown clearly in Figs. 3 and 4, the insulating rings which separate the annular members have a smaller inside diameter than the members; accordingly, the rings extend inwardly a slight amount beyond the members and serve as lateral guides for the brushes when they are in engagement with the members.

For convenience in connecting the brushes 61 to external circuits, they are separated and mounted on four separate mounting brackets, 62, 63, 64, and 65, formed by separators 66 of insulating material, which are held together and to the flange 46 by bolts, as 67. The ends of the brackets which are remote from the flange 46 are held in proper spaced relation by a ring 68. The brush distribution among the brackets is shown in Fig. 2, and it is clear from this showing that brushes which engage adjacent annular members are mounted on different supporting means, and, where brushes related to the same group of annular members are mounted on the same bracket, the brushes are separated by the distance between several of the annular members. Further, when two brushes related to the same group of annular members are mounted on the same bracket, projections or soldering lugs thereon are placed at different sides of the bracket, and this, together with the separation of the brushes, makes for easier connection of the brushes to external circuits. In Fig. 3, the connections to the various brushes have been omitted to enable other parts to be seen more clearly, but these connections would be brought out through the inside of the sleeve-like retaining member 45 to external matrix-element-selecting circuits.

In order to keep foreign matter from getting into the cylinder and preventing brushes from making proper contact, a closure 69 (Figs. 1 and 3) is secured to the end of the cylinder 23 by certain of the bolts 49 which extend through the annular members and secure them together and to the end plate 41.

The matrix-element-selecting circuits may take any desired form as long as they are capable of energizing the desired matrix elements according to the numbers to be printed. One form of selecting circuit is shown schematically in the diagram of Fig. 6, which shows the circuits and their control means for selecting the elements of the various matrices of one of the rows of the cylinder. A plurality of number-selecting keys 76, one for each of the numerals, is provided, and each key, when depressed, is capable of closing circuits from one side of a source of potential 77 over the brushes 61 and the annular members to the required matrix elements during a printing operation. A load resistance is provided in each matrix-element-selecting circuit to limit the amount of current which will flow through the record material when printing takes place and to minimize arcing at the matrix electrodes as they move out of printing position. This resistance may be incorporated in the matrix elements themselves, in the annular members or commutator rings, in the brushes or other components, or may be a separate resistor incorporated in the selecting circuit. In the preferred embodiment, a resistor, as 78, of about 5,000 ohms is included in each of the circuits to the brushes to provide the load to limit the amount of current and minimize the arcing at the matrix electrodes during a printing operation.

In order to prevent a short circuit due to the absence of record material between the contact member 24 and the matrix in a printing operation, a safety switch 90 (Figs. 1 and 6) is provided and is controlled by an in sulated feeler 91, which engages the record material at a point opposite an aperture in a cooperating apertured supporting plate of insulating material. As long as record material is in position between the feeler 91 and the cooperating supporting plate, the feeler 91 will maintain the switch 90 closed, but, as soon as the record material moves from over the aperture in the cooperating plate, the feeler 91 will be allowed to enter the aperture and open the switch 90 to disable the printing circuit.

The other side of the source of potential 77 is connected over a variable resistor 79 to the contact means 24, to enable the potential which is applied across the record material to be adjusted to the desired value.

When the record material is in printing position and is being line-spaced in a printing operation, a relay contact 80 will be closed to complete the circuits prepared by the operation of one of the number-selecting keys, and, as the record material and the matrix cylinder move together, various ones of the matrix elements will move opposite the contact means 24, and current will pass from the contact means through the record material to those matrix elements which have been selected, thereby causing the numbers to be printed.

For a printing apparatus having a capacity for printing in six columns, as in the disclosed embodiment, six sets of numeral keys and their related circuits will be provided; the same contact means 24, however, can cooperate with the matrices in all of the six rows on the cylinder to complete the printing circuit for any of the columns in which a numeral key has been operated.

While the form of selecting means consisting of depressible number-selecting keys is shown, it is to be understood that this is illustrative only and that other forms such as switching commutators, selecting relays, or electronic switches may be used to selectively energize the matrix elements if desired.

From the above description it is clear that the novel printing mechanism eliminates the hammers and the type ribbon mechanism and their operating means, which were required when conventional printing means were used, and enables a speeding up of the printing operation, since printing is done concomitantly with the line-space feeding of the record material, and it is not required that printing be finished before the feeding takes place.

Where it is desired to be able to print different numbers on successive lines, printing on the lines in succession can take place as rapidly as the selection can be made between printing operations. Where the same numbers are printed over and over, printing speeds of up to 325 legible prints per second have been obtained.

The means for line-space feeding of the record material is shown in Figs. 1 and 5, and the circuit for causing its operation is shown in Fig. 6. The drive for the various moving parts of the printing device may take any form. Since the preferred form of apparatus is one in which the number to be printed can be changed in response to the operation of the number-selecting keys between printing operations, an intermittently-operable type of operating means is provided, the particular form of operating means which is used to explain the invention being of a magnetically-operated pawl-and-ratchet intermittent drive type. As shown in Fig. 5, an operating magnet 81 is provided, which, when energized, will rotate a pawl-carrying lever 82 clockwise. The pawl 83 on the lever 82 engages a ratchet 84, mounted on a stud 85 on the plate 22, and will impart an increment of clockwise movement to the ratchet 84, and the gear 86 attached thereto, as the lever 82 is rocked. Suitable stop means, shown schematically at 92 and 93, can be provided to control the extent of movement of the lever 82, so that it will cause the ratchet to be given the required movement for each operation of the magnet 81. A spring 94 returns the lever 82 into engagement with the stop 93 whenever the magnet is deenergized.

The movement of the ratchet is transmitted through gear 86 to gear 44, which, as previously explained, is connected to portion 43 of the matrix-bearing cylinder 23, and rotates the cylinder to move the matrices in printing position past the printing point. Gear 44 is connected through an idler gear 87 to a gear 88 on a shaft 89 journaled in the plate 22 and to which the feeding roller 25 is secured, and causes the record material to be drawn past the printing point in a line-spacing operation. The gear train, including gears 86, 44, 87, and 88, is so proportioned with respect to the diameters of the feeding roller 25 and the matrix-bearing cylinder 23 that, for each operation of the pawl-and-ratchet drive, the record material will be given an extent of movement equal to one line space, and the rate of feed of the record material past the printing point at the contact means 24 is the same as the rate of movement of the matrices past this point.

The circuit for operating the magnet 81 is shown in Fig. 6 and extends from a source of operating potential over a print key 96, the magnet 81 being energized Whenever the key 96 is operated to close the circuit. In order to insure that a full operation of the magnet 81 will take place, a relay contact 97 is provided to bridge the print key 96 and maintain the operating circuit for the magnet closed until the ratchet 84 has made a complete line-space operation. Contact 97 is closed by a relay 98, whose energizing circuit extends from the source of operating potential 95 and is controlled by a contact 99. Closure of contact 99 is effected by the initial movement of the ratchet 84. Further movement of the ratchet 84 maintains the contact 99 closed until, after a full line-space movement, the ratchet-engaging portion of the contact will ride off the ratchet tooth and allow the contact 99 to open. Relay 98, accordingly, will remain energized until a complete line-space movement of the record strip has taken place and will maintain the operating circuit to the magnet 81 closed throughout this time, even though the print key 96 is released prior to the completion of the operation of the ratchet.

Relay 98 also closes the switch 80 to complete the printing circuit and allow printing to take place while the record material is being fed.

Accordingly, when the print key 96 is operated, magnet 81 will operate to cause the record material to be linespaced, and relay 98 will be energized to close the printing circuit during the line-space movement of the record material and also to close the print-key-bridging contact 97 to insure that a full line-space movement will be given to the record material, even if the print key 96 is released before the printing operation has been completed.

The use of the intermittent line-space feed has the advantage that it enables a maximum number of lines of printing to be made on a predetermined length of record material because it allows the record material to be at rest while the selection of matrix elements to be used in the next printing operation takes place, and enables the matrices to be spaced about the cylinder in normal line-space positions so that printing in various lines can be done during normalline-space movements of a record material. If the intermittent feed is not used and the record material is fed during the selection of the matrix elements, then the spacing between successive matrices on the cylinder and the successive prints on the record material will be greater to allow time for selection between prints, which will cause fewer number of lines to be printed in the same predetermined length of record material.

In order to insure that the elements or electrodes of the matrices will be free from dirt, lint, or other foreign matter, a brush 105, having bristles of nonconducting material which engage electrodes on the cylinder 23, is carried by a shaft 106, which is rotatably mounted in the supporting plate 22 and is driven through a gear 107 from the idler gear 87 in the gear train to the feeding roller 25. The brush 105 rotates in the opposite direction to that of the cylinder in order that it will be most effective in cleaning the matrices.

A ventilating duct 110 has an opening adjacent the brush 105 and the printing point and is supplied with sufficient suction to draw off any fumes or smoke which may result from the printing operation and also to draw off any dirt or lint which may be removed from the matrix elements by the brush.

In the above-described embodiment, printing takes place in one line after another on the strip 20, as shown in Fig. 8. If it is desired to print numbers one after another in letter-space sequence in one or more lines on a tape, printing of one of such lines being shown on the tape 111 in Fig. 10, the apparatus used will be substantially the same as that required for printing in linespace sequence. The only changes required to adapt the apparatus to print in letter-space relation are the provision of but one row of matrices about the cylinder for each row to be printed, with the matrices oriented as shown in Fig. 9 and spaced about the cylinder with a letter spacing, and the adjustment of the extent of feed of the tape and the movement of the cylinder to that of the width of the numbers rather than the length of line spacing. With the matrices so oriented, they will be moved sideways past the contact means 24 to print the numerals one after another.

If desired, duplicate prints can be made simultaneously by feeding two record strips or tapes in superimposed relation past the printing point, or, since all the matrices on the cylinder are selectively energized in the same manner, a second printing point can be established by another contact means located at another point about the cylinder, and other prints can be made on record material at this point.

It will be obvious that the matrix-bearing cylinder and the novel arrangement and selection of matrices thereon, with proper electrostatic shielding, may be used in a xerographic printing operation to apply electrostatic charges to record material in patterns to enable marks having the desired configurations to be produced thereon.

From the above description it is clear that the novel printing apparatus is capable of electrically printing numbers at high speed from one or more rows of similar matrices carried by a rotatable matrix cylinder, which matrices of a row are presented to a printing position one after another in succession at substantially the same speed as the record material is fed past printing position and enable printing to be made on the record material from selected elements of the matrix as the matrix passes printing position. The selection of the elements is such that the same elements in each of the matrices in a row about the cylinder are seleced at the same time, so that the selected number can be printed regardless of which matrix of the row is in printing position at the time.

While the forms of the invention shown and described herein are admirably adapted to fulfill the objects primarily stated, it is to be understood that it is no intended to confine the invention to the forms or embodiments shown herein, for it is susceptible of embodiment in various other forms.

What is claimed is:

1. in an apparatus for printing electrically on electrosensitive record material, the combination of a matrixbearing member having a row of multi-electrode matrices thereon, all of the matrices having the same electrode arrangement and each matrix being capable of forming any of a plurality of configurations, the electrodes of each of said matrices being controllable selectively to be efiective in a printing operation to cause any desired one of the plurality of predetermined possible configurations to be printed; selective means to control the effectiveness of the electrodes of the matrices to control the configuration to be printed; means to operate the number to move the matrices in succession past a printing point; means to feed record material past the printing point; and means including further electrode means at the printing point cooperable with the record material and selected electrodes of the matrix while the record material and the electrodes are being moved past the printing point in a printing operation to cause current to pass through the record material in a pattern according to the control exerted by the matrix to produce marks having the required configuration on the record material.

2. In an apparatus for printing electrically on electrosensitive record material, the combination of a matrixbearing cylinder having a row of similar multi-electrode matrices about its outside surface, the electrodes of each of said matrices being controllable selectively to be effective in a printing operation to cause any desired one of a plurality of predetermined possible configurations to be printed; means to selectively control the effectiveness of the electrodes of the matrices to control the configuration to be printed; means to rotate the cylinder to ove the matrices in succession past a printing point; means to feed record material past the printing point; and means including a common electrode at the printing point cooperable with record material and the matrix electrodes when the record material and the matrix are moved past the printing point in a printing operation to cause current to pass through the record material in a pattern according to the control exerted by the selected electrodes of the matrix to produce marks having the required configuration on the record material.

3. in an apparatus for printing electrically on electrosensitive record material, the combination of a matrixbearing member having thereon a plurality of similar multi-element matrices, the elements of each matrix being so arranged that selected combinations of elements form the configuration of any of a plurality of symbols that may be printed; means to select the same elements hi al of the matrices according to the symbol to be printed, a contact means cooperable with the elements of a matrix, as the matrix is moved past it, to determine a substantially point contact printing point; means to guide sen.- sitized record material between the matrices and the con-- tact means; a printing circuit controlled by the elementselecting means and including the contact means and selected elements of the matrix in printing position, for passing a current through the selected matrix elements and the contact means while the matrix moves past the contact means, the current between the elements and the contact means passing through the record material to produce marks thereon of a configuration corresponding to the selected matrix elements; and means to feed the record material and to operate the matrix-bearing member to move the record material and the matrix in printing position together past the contact means to printing to take place, said movement of the matrixbearing member also moving another matrix on the member in position for the next printing operation.

4. in an apparatus for printing electrically on electrosensitive record material, the combination of means to line-space record material past a printing point; a rotatable cylinder having a plurality of rows of similar printing matrices thereon which cooperable with the record material, each matrix being capable of printing a plurality of different symbols and being controllable individually to print any desired one of the predetermined symbols and having a height less than the length or" a line-space movement of the record material, and the matrices of each row spaced about the cylinder distances corresponding to the line-spacing of the record material; a contact means cooperable with a matrix in each row to determine a point contact printing point across the rows, the record material passing between the contact means and the matrices on the cylinder; means to drive the cylinder to move a matrix in each row past the printing point while the record material is line-spaced, the matrices and the record material moving together past the contact means; means to control the matrices according to the symbols to be printed; and a printing circuit operable during the line-space movement of the record material and including the contact means and the matrices on the cylinder, for causing current to pass through the record material in patterns according to the control of the matrices to print the desired symbols in a line on the record material as the matrices and the record material move past the contact means.

5. In an apparatus for printing electrically on electrosensitive record material, the combination of stationary contact means for determining a printing point; means for line-spacing the record material past said contact means, said contact means engaging one side of the record material; a rotatable cylinder having matrices thereon which engage the other side of the record material and move past the contact means while the record material is being line-spaced, each of said matrices having electrodes so arranged as to be able to print a plurality of different symbols and selectable in combination as to form Various ones of the predetermined symbols and controllable to select which symbol is to be printed, said matrices being arranged in a plurality of rows on the cylinder, each row containing a plurality of matrices with the matrices in the several rows so aligned that as the cylinder is rotated they can print a line of symbols in successive linespace positions on the record material; means to control the effectiveness of the electrodes of the matrices to select the symbols to be printed in any particular line on the record material; means to rotate the cylinder; and a printing circuit controlled by the matrix control means and including the contact means and the matrices for causing current to flow through the record material in a pattern determined by the effective electrodes to cause the selected symbols to be printed on the record material while it is line-spaced past the printing point.

6. In an apparatus for printing numerals electrically on electro-sensitive record material, the combination of stationary contact means for determining a printing point; means for line-spacing the record material past the contact means, said contact means engaging one side of the record material; a rotatable cylinder having matrices thereon which engage the other side of the record material and are movable past the printing point with the record material When the cylinder is rotated while the record material is line-spaced, each of said matrices having electrodes so arranged and selectable in combinations as to form any of the numerals 0 and 1 to 9, said matrices being arranged in a plurality of rows about the cylinder, each row containing a plurality of matrices which are presented to the printing point one after another, as the record material is line-spaced and the cylinder is rotated, to print numerals one under the other in line-space relation on the record material, and the matrices of the several rows being so aligned as to print lines of numbers in line-space positions on the record material; number-selecting means to control the selection of the electrodes of the matrices according to the numbers to be printed; means for rotating the cylinder to move the matrices of a line past the printing point while the record material is being line-spaced; and a printing circuit operable during the line-space movement of the cylinder and the record material and including the contact means and the selected electrodes of the line of matrices on the cylinder which move past the printing point at this time, for causing current to pass through the record material in patterns according to the control of the matrices to print the desired numerals in a line on the record material as it moves past the printing point.

7. In an apparatus for printing numerals electrically on electro-sensitive record material, the combination of stationary contact means for determining a printing point; means for letter-spacing the record material past the contact means, said contact means engaging one side of the record material; a rotatable cylinder having thereon matrices which engage the other side of the record material and are movable past the printing point together with the record material when the cylinder is rotated and the record material is letter-spaced, each of said matrices having electrodes so arranged and selectable in combinations as to form any of the numerals 0 and l to 9, said matrices being arranged in a row about the cylinder, the row containing a plurality of matrices which are presented sideways to the printing point one after another, as the record material is letter-spaced and the cylinder is rorated, to print numerals one beside the other in letterspace relation in a line on the record material; numberselecting means to control the selection of the electrodes of the matrices according to the numbers to be printed; means for rotating the cylinder to move the matrices past the printing point one after another as the record material is letter-spaced; and a printing circuit operable during the letter-space movement of the cylinder and the record material and including the contact means and the selected electrodes of the matrix in printing position on the cylinder, for causing current to pass through the record material in patterns according to the control of the matrix to print the desired numerals one after another in a line on the record material as it moves past the printing point.

8. In an apparatus for printing electrically on record material, the combination of a matrix-bearing member having a plurality of similar multi-electrode matrices in a row, the electrodes of each of the matrices being controllable selectively to be effective in a printing operation to cause any desired one of a plurality of predetermined configurations to be printed; selective means to control the effectiveness of the electrodes of the matrices to control the configuration to be printed; means to guide the record material into contact with the matrix electrodes on the member at a printing point; and means to feed the record material and to move the member to move the record material and the matrix electrodes engaged by the record material together past the printing point in a printing operation.

9. In an apparatus for printing electrically on record material, the combination of a matrix-bearing member having a plurality of similar multi-electrode matrices in a row thereon, the electrodes of each of the matrices being controllable selectively to be effective in a printing operation to cause any desired one of a plurality of predetermined configurations to be printed; selective means to control the eflectiveness of the electrodes of the matrices to control the configuration to be printed; means to guide the record material into contact with the matrix electrodes on the member at a printing point; and means to feed the record material and simultaneously move the member to move the record material and the matrix electrodes engaged by the record material together past the printing point in a printing operation; the matrices being so spaced on the member that the movement of the member to move one matrix past the printing point in a printing operation also moves the next matrix in position to traverse the printing point in the next printing operation.

10. In an apparatus for printing electrically on record material, the combination of a rotatable matrix-bearing cylinder having a plurality of similar multi-electrode matrices in a row about the outer surface of the cylinder, the electrodes of each of the matrices being controllable selectively to be effective in a printing operation to cause any desired one of a plurality of predetermined configurations to be printed; selective means to control the effectiveness of the electrodes of the matrices to control the configuration to be printed; means to guide the record material into contact with the matrix electrodes on the cylinder at a printing point; and means to feed the record material and rotate the cylinder to move the rec ord material and the matrix electrodes engaged by the record material together past the printing point in a printing operation; the matrices being so spaced about the cylinder that the movement of the cylinder to move one matrix past the printing point in a printing operation also moves the next matrix to a position from which it can traverse the printing point in the next printing operation.

11. In an apparatus for printing electrically on sensitized record material, the combination of a matrix-bean ing cylinder having a row of similar matrices about its outside surface, each of which matrices is capable of taking part in a printing operation; means to control the effectiveness of the matrices to control the data to be printed; means to operate the cylinder to move the matrices in succession past a printing point; and means including contact means at the printing point cooperable with the matrix which is moved past the printing point in a printing operation to cause current to pass through record material between the matrix and the contact means according to the control exerted on the matrix at that time; said cylinder, by presenting the matrices to the printing point in succession, enabling each of the other matrices of a row to take part in a printing operation before a repeat use of any particular matrix takes place, thereby allowing heat generated in a matrix consequent upon a printing operation to be dissipated before that matrix is used in another printing operation.

12. In an apparatus for printing electrically on sensitized record material, the combination of a matrix-bearing cylinder having a row of similar multi-electrode matrices about its outside surface, each of which matrices is capable of taking part in a printing operation; means to control the effectiveness of the electrodes of the matrices to control the data to be printed; means to operate the cylinder to move the matrices in succession past a printing point; means including contact means at the printing point cooperable with electrodes of the matrix which are moved past the printing point in a printing operation to cause current to pass through the record material between the matrix electrodes and the contact means according to the control exerted on the matrix at that time; said cylinder, by presenting the matrices to the printing point in succession, enabling each of the other matrices of a row to take part in a printing operation before a repeat use of any particular matrix takes place; and means for cleaning the electrodes of each matrix after it passes the printing point and before it is used again.

13. In an apparatus for printing electrically on sensitized record material, the combination of a matrix-bearing cylinder having a row of similar multi-electrode ,matrices about its outside surface, each of which matrices is capable of taking part in a printing operation; means to control the effectiveness of the electrodes of the matrices to control the data to be printed; means to operate the cylinder to move the matrices in succession past a printing point; means including contact means at the printing point cooperable with electrodes of the matrix which is moved past the printing point in a printing operation to cause current to pass through record material between the matrix electrodes and the contact means according to the control exerted on the matrix at that time; said cylinder, by presenting the matrices to the printing point in succession, enabling each of the other matrices of a row to take part in a printing operation before a repeat use of any particular matrix takes place; means mounted adjacent the printing point for cleaning the electrodes of each matrix after it passes the printing point and before it is used again; and suction means adjacent the printing point and the cleaning means to remove from the apparatus any fumes that may result from a printing operation or any foreign matter which may be dislodged from the matrices by the cleaning means.

14. In an apparatus for printing electrically on record material, a rotatable matrix-bearing cylinder having a plurality of similar multi-electrode matrices in a row about the outer surface of the cylinder, said cylinder contraining a plurality of insulated annular members of conducting material, one member for each of the electrodes of a matrix and each member having a corresponding one of the electrodes in each of the matrices of the row connected thereto; and means for making electrical connections to each of the members individually in various rotational positions of the cylinder whereby, through the connections to the members, they may be energized selectively in combinations to render corresponding electrodes in all the matrices effective so that in various rotational positions of the cylinder, whichever matrix happens to be in printing position can take part in a printing operation.

15. In an apparatus for printing electrically on record material, a rotatable matrix-bearing cylinder having a 1 plurality of rows of similar multi-element matrices about the cylinder, said cylinder being made up of insulated, flat members of conducting material corresponding in number to the number of elements that pass a printing point in a printing operation, each of the members having a corresponding one of the elements in each of the matrices of the same row connected to its outer edge and being formed on its inner edge with a commutator surface to which electrical connection can be made in any rotated position of the cylinder.

16. In an apparatus for printing electrically on record material, a rotatable matrix-bearing cylinder having a row of multi-element matrices about the cylinder, said cylinder being made up of insulated, flat annular members of conducting material corresponding in number to the elements in a matrix, and each of the members being formed on its outer edge with a corresponding one of the elements in each of the matrices of the row and being formed on its inner edge with a commutator surface to which electrical connection can be made in various rotational positions of the cylinder.

17. In an apparatus for printing electrically on record material, a rotatable, hollow, matrix-bearing cylinder having a plurality of similar multi-electrode matrices in a row about the outer surface of thecylinder, said cylinder being made up of a plurality of insulated annular members of conducting material, one member for each of the electrodes of a matrix, and each member having a corresponding one of the electrodes in each of the matrices of the row connected thereto; and a plurality of Wiper contacts within the hollow cylinder, one related to each member and engaging an inner surface of the member to make contact therewith in various rotational positions of the cylinder.

18. In an apparatus for printing electrically on record material, a rotatable, hollow, matrix-bearing cylinder having a plurality of similar multi-electrode matrices in a row about the outer surface of the cylinder, said cylinder being made up of a plurality of insulated annular mem bers of conducting material, one member for each of the electrodes of a matrix, and each member having a corresponding one of the electrodes in each of the matrices of the row connected thereto; a contact brush within the hollow cylinder related to each member and engaging an inner surface of the related member to make contact therewith in various rotational positions of the cylinder; and a plurality of supporting means for the contact brushes, the contact brushes which engage adjacent members on the cylinder being mounted on different supporting means.

19. In an apparatus for printing electrically on sensitized record material, the combination of a matrix-bean ing cylinder having a row of similar matrices about its outside surface, each of which matrices is capable of being controlled to print any one of a plurality of symbols in a printing operation and consists solely of a bottom electrode, a top electrode, a pair of lower side electrodes, a pair of upper side electrodes, and a central electrode, said electrodes being elongated and disconnected from each other and arranged so that the top, bottom, and side electrodes form, in essence, a parallelogram, with the central electrode located within the parallelogram intermediate the top and bottom electrodes and substantially parallel thereto; means to select which of the electrodes of the matrices will be used in a printing operation to control the effectiveness of the matrices according to the symbol to be printed; means to operate the cylinder to move the matrices in succession past a printing point; and means including contact means at the printing point cooperable with the electrodes of the particular matrix which is moved past the printing point in a printing operation to cause current to pass through record material between the selected electrodes of this matrix and the contact means according to the control exerted on the matrices at that time; said cylinder, by presenting the matrices to the printing point in succession, enabling each of the other matrices of a row to take part in a printing operation before repeat use of any particular matrix takes place, thereby allowing heat generated in a matrix consequent upon a printing operation to be dissipated before that matrix is used in another printing operation.

20. In an apparatus for printing numerals electrically on electro-sensitive record material, the combination of stationary contact means for determining a printing point; means for line-spacing the record material past the contact means, said contact means engaging one side of the record material; a rotatable cylinder having matrices thereon which engage the other side of the record material and are movable past the printing point together with the record material as the cylinder is rotated when the record material is line-spaced, each of said matrices being a seven-element matrix for use in selectively printing numerals 0 and "1 to 9, said matrix consisting of a bottom electrode, a top electrode, a pair of equal-length lower side electrodes, a pair of equal-length upper side electrodes spaced from the lower side electrodes, and a central electrode, each of said electrodes being bar-like and separated from the others, the top, bottom, and side electrodes forming, in essence, a rhomboid, with the central electrode located within the rhomboid parallel to the base and between the upper and lower side electrodes, said matrices being arranged in a plurality of rows about the cylinder, each row containing a plurality of matrices which are presented to the printing point one after another, as the record material is line-spaced and the cylinder is rotated, to print numerals one under the other in line-space relation on the record material, and the matrices of the several rows being so aligned as to print lines of numbers in line-space positions on the record material; number-selecting means to control the selection of the electrodes of the matrices according to the numbers to be printed; means for rotating the cylinder to move the matrices of a line past the printing point as the record material is line-spaced; and a printing circuit operable during the line-space movement of the cylinder and the record material and including the contact means and the selected electrodes of the matrices of the line on the cylinder which move past the printing point at this time, for causing current to pass through the record material in patterns according to the control of the matrices to print the desired numerals in a line on the record material as it moves past the printing point.

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